New Model: Mengi Yay 39m Virtus

Turkish shipyard Mengi Yay Yachts is pleased to announce that after successful sea trials in Istanbul, the first unit of the 39-metre Virtus series, titled motor yacht Reverie has been delivered to its owners.  Like the larger 44 and 47 meter Virtus sister models, this new Mengi Yay 39m stands out for its wide and spacious living spaces. The interior and exterior design of the 39 meters super yacht is from the Italian firm VYD Studio, and the engineering applications have been prepared by Ginton Naval Architecture. Elegant, spacious and with with perfect proportions this Mengi Yay 39 meters allows easier to the smallest Mediterranean ports. Mengi Yay 39m Virtus features an accommodation for a total of twelve guests with a master stateroom with study on the forward part of the main deck, and four suites cabin on the lower deck. Mengi Yay 39m Virtus also offers outdoor areas to enjoy exterior spaces to the fullest, which also includes a beach club and a generous sunbathing area on the upper deck terrace.  Mengi Yay 39m Virtus is powered by twin CAT engines for maximum speeds up to fifteen knots and a cruising of twelve for a range up to 2200 nautical miles. The first 39m Virtus is also equipped with a high-voltage electrical system that allows it to operate in silent mode.

Technical Data:

LOA - 39.43 m (129.3ft)

Beam - 8.80 m

Draft - 2.89 m

Displacement - 386 t, 437 gt *volume

Fuel Capacity - 

Accommodation - twelve guests in five cabins,

Engines - 2 x Cats C23 1450hp

Propulsion - line shafts

Speed - fifteen knots, twelve knots cruise

Range - up to 2200 nautical miles

Hull - full displacement

Construction - aluminium hull and super structure

Project - Paolo Dose of VYD studio exterior and interior, Ginton naval architecture engineering

Certification - RINA commercial yacht, short range

www.mengiyay.com

Project: Royal Huisman 52m Project 406

Royal Huisman is currently doing the finishing touches for Project 406, a super sportfish yacht of 52 meters commissioned in the fall of 2020 and set to launch in 2024.  Fully designed by Vripack; exterior, interior, and naval architecture all done by the Dutch design firm, this four deck super sportfish yacht is the thing of records, being the largest yacht in the genre ever build, exceeding the current largest fisherman by nine meters.  Project 406 is the sixth motor yacht, the fourth above 24 meters by Royal Huisman, made in Alustar Aluminium to Lloyds certification, and a volume of 499 gross tonnage.  Royal Huisman has not revealed any interior details, engine specification, and performance numbers.  Dutch Royal Huisman is a name mostly associated for delivering exquisite super sailing yachts most of which upwards of 24 and up to 90 meters in length, although in 2021 they did get the motor boating World attention, with hull. 403 titled m/y Phi which is the longest yacht at 58 meter but under 500 gross tonnage in volume.  

www.royalhuisman.com

Frits de Voogt 1927 - 2023

Former Feadship director Frits de Voogt has left for the better World at 96 years of age in native town of Haarlem on Wednesday 20 December.  Real name Frederik, Frits was born in Haarlem on 21 August 1927.  Frits took over De Voogt naval architecture from his father Henri after he suffered a stroke in 1958, and then went on to lead the firm and Feadship for decades, and together with his team, shaping that present and the future of the renowned yacht and super yacht Dutch builder. Frits designs were unique and are still the basis of today's Feadship yachts. Even after his retirement in 1995, Frits remained involved and interested in yacht building, always astute and modest. Frits was a mentor of the current leaders of Feadship, and went on to take the Lifetime Achievement Award from Showboats International in 2016.  Frits de Voogt also competed in the four rowing disciple without a helmsman and went to represent Holland in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.  Frits was married to Luuk de Voogt-Groot, who passed away in 2011.

Larnaca Marina Fire Totals Two Boats Damages Another

A fire which started on a flybridge cruiser of about thirteen meters in length at Larnaca Marina in Cyprus, at 13:26 hours of 21 December has totalled two boats, and damaged another.  Reports say the fire started on a thirteen meter flybridge cruiser, which then with the strong winds jumped to a sport cruiser of similar size to its starboard side, and while on fire also damaged a power catamaran on its port side.  The first two cruisers where towed outside the marina, while the power catamaran received important fire damage on its starboard side.  Larnaca Fire Station responded with two fire fighting vehicles, taking about about an hour to control the blaze, with the two cruisers being towed outside the marina already half burned, after which they sank from the flames and rough sea conditions of the day.  No one was injured in the fire, as the boats where reported unattended, with the cause of the blaze being under investigation.

The three boats in this fire are the Garroni designed Jeanneau Prestige 46 produced from 2003 to 2011, a Pershing 43 as designed by Fulvio de Simoni and produced from 2001 to 04, and a Leopard 39 Powercat as produced from 2012 to 22.  The boat ownerships are reported to be two of Cypriots and one of a Ukrainian national.

New Model: Sasga Menorquin 55 FB

In mid 2023 Sasga presented its new Menorquin 55 FB model. The new Sasga 55 is fully based on the 54, nearly unrecognizable to the untrained eye, with the difference coming in the flybridge, which now features higher bulkheads, moves forward to offer a more spacious area, and is also more extended to aft.  These updates provide the new Menorquin 55 with much more habitable space on the flybridge with a U-shaped dinette, helm station and a large sundeck area at the stern.  The Menorquin 55 has also been lightly extended in an extra 33 centimeters coming in length.

Technical Data:

LOA - 16.88 m (54.1ft)

Hull Length - 14.98 m

Beam - 5 m

Draft - 1.3 m

Displacement - 24 t unloaded

Fuel Capacity - 2800 l

Water Capacity - 970 l

Accommodation - six guest berths in three cabins, 2 additional berths in conv saloon

Engines - 2 x Yanmar 480hp

Propulsion - line shaft

Speed - 23 knots max, nineteen knots cruise, twelve knots economic

Certification - CE A

www.sasgayachts.com

Project: Fabbrica Italiana Motoscafi 500 Regina

Fabbrica Italiana Motoscafi is showing us exclusive details for this new project and its next upcoming model, the 500 Regina, which is set to debut in mid 2024.  Details of the 500 Regina are very limited, with this rendering showing similar lines and looks to the 2023 debuting 440 model, which would suggest that this new FIM flagship is also designed by Alessandro Loittici of Design Alot firm.  Fabbrica Italiana Motoscafi says that the 500 Regina will have a large tender garage, able to put a jet rib, and the usual Regina hybrid layout of a centre console and sport cruiser lower deck, which has given it so much favours by its customers. 

www.fimotoscafi.com

Classic Chris-Craft Hits and Runs Power Cable Lines in Ponchatoula

A towed classic Chris-Craft eleven meter cabin cruiser is being searched after it hit and run and damaged power and cable lines on the evening of Sunday seventeen December in Ponchatoula, Louisiana.  The accident was reported to happen at about 21:15 hours in front of Circle K on E. Pine Street.  The classic Chris-Craft is reported to have left its top canopy ripped off, and with the collision broke and knocked down some utility poles leaving the area without electrical power.  The towed classic Chris-Craft was reported heading East on Hwy. 22 by Hwy. 445. For this hit and run the Ponchatoula Police are asking about information in order to charge for damages.

The towed Chris-Craft in this accident looks to be a classic 37 Constellation.  Build in wood planking the Chris Craft 37 Constellation was produced from 1963 to 67, as replacement to the 36 Constellation, recognizable by the straight shear line, and then replaced by the fiberglass 38 Commander Express introduced in the fall 1964.

South West Florida Hit by Strong Low Pressure

A strong low pressure hit the South West Florida on Sunday seventeen December, with various streets being flooded in the area, a storm surge of one meter, over five centimetres of rain water, and winds up to Force seven Beaufort of intensity.  Punta Gorda which has still not recovered from Hurricane Ian from September 2022, was one of the most hit areas, along with Forty Myers, and Palm Beach.  

Many weather forecast models are saying this and previous recent storms, along with a particularly unusually strong Pacific Hurricane Season are the affect of El Nino which finally has arrived.  The 2024 El Nino is forecasted to be a strong one, because of record heat in recent Summers, and also because it delayed by a year. 

A classic Hatteras 53 Motor Yacht suffered the affect of the storm surge, with crew trying to resolve this.

This is a Chaparral 28/29 Signature which ended beached after breaking free from its mooring.  

A first version Ocean Yachts 38 Super Sport also suffered the affect of the storm, and partly sank.

New Model: Moonride Yachts 58S

Moonride Yachts a connoisseurs boutique boat yacht builder of choice follows its 58F model which launched in 2022 with the 58S hard-top version. Called as project 58 Ibiza, the Moonride 58S is inspired to down-East traditional lobster boat looks with styling accents of Italian yachts from the sixties and seventies era.  The 58S unlike the 58F also features a straight shear line versus the F version, and a different cockpit layout with aft sun-pad and C-shaped dinette to starboard.  The first Moonride Yachts 58S was ordered with an open no patio door cockpit version, and a three double cabins lower deck with a master cabin forward.  Worth to note that this is a semi-custom build and if one wants the aft deck layout of the 58F and a patio door these can be easily specified on a Moonride 58S.  The Moonridge 58S is powered by twin Volvo 725hp engines with IPS pod drives for top speeds up to 37 knots.

Technical Data:

LOA - 18.15 m (59.5ft)

Beam - 4.95 m

Draft - 1.13 m

Displacement - 17.7 t unloaded

Fuel Capacity - 3000 l

Water Capacity - 700 l

Accommodation - six berths in three cabins, one crew cabin berth

Engines - 2 x Volvo D11 725hp

Propulsion - Volvo forward looking dual propeller IPS950 pod drives

Speed - 31 knots cruise 37 knots max

Hull - modified medium Vee with fifty degrees entry forward and 13 degrees closing aft

Construction - resin infusion

Certification - CE B

www.moonrideyachts.com

Sea Ray New Web Site

One of the Worlds biggest motor boat producers, Sea Ray presents its new website. Sea Ray was founded in 1959 when Cornelius Nathaniel Ray III and his long time friend architect John Mehaffey purchase Carr Craft, who at time produced golf cart bodies, coffins, and fiberglass boats. The first boats are designed by Jerry Michalak and Harley Earl and Associates, who present a line of speed boats from fourteen to eighteen feet, which will extend up to 25 feet by 1969.  One of Sea Ray's most important moves comes in 1981 when it launches its first 310 Sundancer, a nine meters sport cruiser devoted to entertainment cruising.  The Sundancer line, which is still produced today will expand and dominate the sport cruiser North American market from the eighties till the noughties.  In 1986 Sea Ray is purchased by the Brunswick Corporation, what was and still is today one of the biggest pleasure boat holdings, and owner of the top selling Mercury motors. With Brunswick Sea Ray expands to become the Worlds biggest motor boat and sport cruiser producer in the eighties, nineties, and noughties.  Sea Ray enters the yacht fifty foot market in 1989 with the 500 Sedan Bridge, followed by a larger 630 Super Sun Sport two years later.  Sea Ray largest build to date is the 680 Sun Sport produced from 2001 to 06, with the second largest yacht being the 2014 L650 Fly which debuts the five years produced European inspired looking L-line that lasts till 2019, and will feature four other models from 55 feet.  Another famous Sea Ray model series beyond the Sundancer is that of the high performance Pachanga series, which debuts with the eighteen foot Pachanga in 1969 produced for two years in over five hundred units, returning again in 1986 with the 22 Pachanga II and 32 models, and lastly as a limited edition one hundred units only Pachanga III 22 in 2009.  The current Sea Ray line up offers thirty two different models from nineteen to forty feet in length, and is divided into five ranges: Sun Sport, Sundancer, SLX, SDX, and SPX. The new Sea Ray website guides you with the following buttons; Why Sea Ray, Our Boats, Build, Dealer Locator, Owners, Events, and Contact A Dealer.  Sea Ray is also present on social media, with bottom page links taking you to its Facebook, Instagram, Tweeter, YouTube, and Linkedin pages. 

www.searay.com

Production History;

200 1960-61

400 1960-61

500 1960-65

600 1960-62

700 1960-66

800 1960-66

808 1962-64

900 1962-65

990 1964-65

SRV 230 1964-67

SRV 170 1966-

SRV 180 1966-68

SRV 190 1966-

SRV 160 1967-

SRV 190 Sportsman 1967-

SRV 240 Sportsman 1968-

SRV 370 1968

SRV 380 1968-

SRX Pachanga 18'11 1969-71 (500+-)

SRV 185 1969-

SRV 210 1969-

360 Sedan 1980-82

SRV 310 Vanguard Express 1980-83

SRV 310 Sundancer 1981-83

SRV 270 Sundancer 1982-85

SRV-310 Vanguard Sportbridge 1982-83

390 Sedan Sportfish 1983-86

360 Aft Cabin 1983-87

340 Sedan Bridge 1983-87

340 Sport Fisherman 1984-87

340 Express Cruiser 1984-89

340 Sundancer 1984-89

390 Express Cruiser 1984-91

300 Sundancer 1985-89

300 Weekender 1985-89

460 Express Cruiser 1985-89

410 Aft Cabin 1986-87

268 Sundancer 1986-89

Pachanga II 22 1986-91

460 Convertible 1987-88

32 Pachanga 1987-91

340 Sedan Bridge 1988-89 *345 Sedan Bridge project

300 Sedan Bridge 1988-89 *305 Sedan Bridge project

415/440 Aft Cabin 1988/89-91

440 Convertible 1988-91 *430 Convertible project

380 Aft Cabin 1989-91

280 Sundancer 1989-91

250 Sundancer 1989-92

500 Sedan Bridge 1989-94

350 Sundancer 1990-91

420 Sundancer 1990-91

480 Sundancer 1990-91

350 Express Cruiser 1990-92

270/290 Sundancer 1990/92-93

310/330 Sundancer 1990/92-94

310/330 Express Cruiser 1990/92-95

300 Weekender 1991-95 *280 Weekender project

310 Sun Sport 1991-95

370 Sedan Bridge 1991-97

630 Super Sun Sport 1991-2000

300 Sundancer 1992-93

310 Sport Bridge 1992-93

310 Amberjack 1992-94

350 Express Bridge 1992-94

370 Sundancer 1992-94

440 Sundancer 1992-95

550 Sedan Bridge 1992-98

400 Express Cruiser 1992-99

500 Sundancer 1992-99

230 Sundancer 1993-95

370 Express Cruiser 1993-95

440 Express Bridge 1993-98

290 Sundancer 1994-97

300 Sundancer 1994-97

330 Sundancer 1995-99

370 Sundancer 1995-99

450 Sundancer 1995-99

270 Sundancer 1996-98

240 Sundancer 1996-99

630 Sundancer 1996-2000

280 Bowrider 1996-2001

420 Aft Cabin 1996-2002

400 Sedan Bridge 1996-2003

400 Sundancer 1997-99

330 Express Cruiser 1997-2000

370 Express Cruiser 1997-2000

370/380 Aft Cabin 1997/2000-01

580 Super Sun Sport 1997-2002

270 Sundancer 1998-2000

290 Sundancer 1998-2001

540 Sundancer 1998-2001

310 Sundancer 1998-2002

450 Express Bridge 1998-2004

480 Sedan Bridge 1998-2004

560 Sedan Bridge 1998-2004

340 Sundancer 1999-2002

380 Sundancer 1999-2003

260 Sundancer 1999-2004

460 Sundancer 1999-2005

290 Amberjack 2000-09

410 Express Cruiser 2000-03

410 Sundancer 2000-03

510 Sundancer 2000-03

240 Sundancer  2000-04

540 Cockpit MY 2001-02

340 Amberjack 2001-03

290 Bowrider 2001-05

680 Sun Sport 2001-06

280 Sundancer 2001-09

550 Sundancer 2002-04

480 Motor Yacht 2002-05

360 Sundancer 2002-06

300 Sundancer 2002-07

290 Sun Sport 2002-09

390/40 Motor Yacht 2003/06-07

420 Sundancer 2003-05

500 Sundancer 2003-06

320 Sundancer 2003-07

340 Sundancer 2003-08

420 Sedan Bridge 2004-05

390 Sundancer 2004-06

290 Select Ex 2005-08

260 Sundancer 2005-08

48 Sundancer 2005-09

580 Sedan Bridge 2005-09 *550 Sedan Bridge project

500/52/520 Sedan Bridge 2005/06/10-13

44 Sundancer 2006-08

290 Sundancer 2006-08

44 Sedan Bridge 2006-09

36 Sedan Bridge 2006-09

60 Sundancer 2006-09

38/390 Sundancer 2006/10-12

310/330 Sundancer 2007/10-16

40 Sundancer 2007-09

52 Sundancer 2007-09

47 Sedan Bridge 2008-09

55 Sundancer 2008-09

350 Sundancer 2008-09

330/350 Sundancer 2008/10-12

300 SLX 2008-15

230 Sundancer 2009-11

22 Pachanga III 2009-12 (100)

280 Sundeck 2009-14

470 Sundancer 2009-14 *43 Sundancer project

540 Sundancer 2009-15

450 Sundancer 2009-15

310 Sundancer 2009-17

610 Sundancer 2010-12

580 Sundancer 2010-14

370 Sundancer 2010-16

280 Sundancer 2010-17

450 Sedan Bridge 2011-14

410 Sundancer 2012-16

510 Sundancer 2012-16

355 Sundancer 2012-20

510 Fly 2013-19

350 Sundancer 2013-19 *360 Sundancer project

L650 Fly 2014-19

470 Sundancer 2014-17

L650 2015-19

L590 Fly 2015-19

L590 2015-19

400 Sundancer 2015-19

350 SLX 2015-

400 Fly 2016-19

355 Sundancer Coupe 2016-21

460 Sundancer 2016-19

460 Fly 2016-19

280 SLX 2016-

310 SLX 2016-

L550 Fly 2017-19

Sundancer 510 Signature 2017-19

SLX400 2017-

320 Sundancer 2018-

Sundancer 520 2018-19

Sundancer 370 2022-